The iconic rock song “Africa” by Toto has taken on a new level of epicness through an extraordinary rendition by strangers. Initially written by David Paich as an ode to the continent of Africa, the song transcended its original meaning when performed by over 18,000 individuals known as the Pub Choir.
Recorded across various venues in Australia and skillfully edited together, the Pub Choir project featured 18,812 people with 37 musical guests. Founded and directed by Astrid Jorgensen, a talented singer, conductor, and composer originally from New Zealand, Pub Choir has brought people together in a harmonious celebration of music across 15 cities.
Let’s check the amazing performance in the video below:
Almost all of them are just ordinary people, but they have created an incredible “Africa” performance that is unbelievable. They groove to the rhythm in perfect harmony. While some focused on singing the song, others combined singing with intimate gestures towards the beloved people who were singing next to them. But whatever they were doing, they all never forgot to smile. Furthermore, their expressive singing is noteworthy, truly diverse and fascinating.
The video was just uploaded on YouTube in August 2023 but got much attention with more than 500K views and hundreds of positive comments.
A person commented, “This is so, so very good. I love this so much. “Africa” is my all-time favorite song to this day since I first heard it back in the early 80’s. I wore out the cassette tape it was listening to on my Walkman. Just look at the joy on these peoples’ faces as they sing! I feel this in my heart.”
Another also added, “A good friend of mine sent me the link to this video, and told me it was a gift’. And, hours later, I must’ve listened to the song a dozen times, and each time, I’ve been crying. This is amazing. Thank you.”